Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-12-22

in ais haver-sack in order to make
the supply last as long as was intend
ed. Then, We had barely marched an
average Of a dozen miles in a week.
Now, We thought ourselves lucky if
We stopped short of that distance in
a single day. Then, We considered a
full knapsack part of the regular
equipment. Now, we rolled every
thing in blanket, slung it over the
left shoulder and tramped off with
light heart to sleep under such shelter
as could be improvised. We had fol.
lowed Mcclellan up the Peninsula,
and Burnside to Antietam; and here
We were opposite fredericksburg with
something like fifteen thousand Of our
late companions either dead across
the river or wounded in the various
hospitals.
We had particularly good luck as
society, in the matter of our records.
Early in January We had sent home
for eight stout leather bound books of
a size convenient for the pocket. On
the inside Of the cover Of each was
printed in plain type the following:
REWARD
Five dollars either in gold or it, equiva-
lent III United States or Confederate money,
will he paid for the return of this book in
a Confederate. please return across the
picket-line if possible
Several Of the books had already
been lost and recovered. One was
found on "Burnside's Bridge" over
Antietam Creek, and returned to its
owner next day. The same one had
lain for day or two in one of the
Chickahominy swamps.
Another was returned across the
Rappahannock, on little raft with a
bush for a sail, and so found its way
to our brigade and regiment. Under
the notice of reward found in this
book was scrawled this memorandum:
Found upon the body ot dead Federal
soldier on Marye's Hill, Dec. 18Th. 1862
Now, pay up, Yank! Wen take it in
coffee and hardtack il you're hard up for
cash --
It was, OF course, against orders, but
in the course Of few days similar
craft, with fragment of canvas for
sail, steered itself across the river
laden with ten pounds of excellent
commissary coffee and gooi-sized
package OF hard-tack- 1t should be
stated that the funds for these re-
wards We're drawn from the society's
treasury, which was supplied by week
ly contributions Of - cents from each
memb Der.
The other book was returned through
brigade headquarters, and the reward
was not claimed. We never knew
what became OF Craik B.own, the
owner--killed, doubtless, during one
of the ill-advised attempts to carry
the heights of Fredericksburg.
Our Christmas meeting for this year
was held III Captain Browns tent, he
having been deservedly promoted for
general efficiency. Rank, however,
was laid aside for the time being, and
the eight men sat together on the
ground az equals. Browns was not
the only shoulder-straPs present lor
might have been present-for on this
occasion the officers had all, with very
good taste, laid aside, as far as posi-
bic, all insignia of rank), and for this
reunion We were once again enlisted
men together.
Number Eight was, according 10 the
constitution, permanent chairman, and
he called the roll.
Number One
Here"
Please read your report
Number One" extracted his we'll
worn book from his pocket and read :
BURK JOHNSON. (No. / A. Diary Of
events from Christmas 1861 till Christmas
1852.
l. Dec. 2S.-SkirmiSh Of the Third Ken
tucky Cavalry. Sacramento, Ky.
,. Same day-Berge's ritiemen and the
Third Missouri Cavalry, near Mt. Zion,
! No.
( The whole list need not be repro
duced here. Suffice it that the list
comprised 327 items concerning eu-
gagements, sometimes trihing affairs
of the skiTmish line, sometimes bat
ties ike Malvern Hill, Antietam and
Fredericksburg. Whenever the facts
Were known, word as to the result
was added, with the number OF killed
and wounded.
Some of these comments had called
out marginal notes from the rebel
captors, for this was the captured r..
cord. As general thing, where vic
tory was claimed for the Federal force:
the comment was to this effect -
That's lie. We licket
you like hell, or We'll, you did gs
away with Us on that day. but yol